Random Thoughts and Laundry Hints

My friends often ask, “How do you read so much?”

First, I’m a freelance writer and stay at home parents of two kids in school full time. I don’t make much money, but I have a lot of wiggle room in my schedule.

Second, I tell them to come look at my house and its escalating level of filth.

Alas, sometimes the filth gets so noticable, or I need something and unearthing it starts an accidental organization project, which is what happened this morning, and lo and behold, I did some cleaning.

No reading, no writing. Alas, some time on Facebook kibbutzing about the Oscars (which I mostly enjoyed. Socks in the dryer and giant-eyed sock puppets! Shatner! My boyfriend Channing Tatum dancing!)

For me the same thing is true of cleaning that is true of any other work like writing: I don’t like doing it, but I feel good about having done it.

So, in honor of my recent burst of housewifery, some advice I’ve received, or things I’ve learned over the years about laundry.

1. If you’re in a bad mood, do a load of laundry. It won’t make you feel better, but you’ll have a load of clean laundry. (shout out to the Steve who said this, wherever he may be.)

2. Do two loads. No matter how backed up laundry is, if you do two loads a day, you will eventually catch up, and two loads won’t kill you (See #1).

3. Always empty the lint trap before you start the dryer. Clothes dry faster (one of the lessons I learned in college. An expensive one, my parents would agree, but useful.) plus if you forget and take it out once it’s started, things can get clogged and flame-y in there, sez a friend named Jen.

4. If you can’t face doing laundry, do a load of pants. This one’s from my friend The Hoff. They’re easy to fold. Leave the socks and underwear and dish towels for a day you’re feeling more resilient.

5. Powdered detergent, and not much of it. Liquid detergent is a scam.

6. Borax does not dissolve very well and will clog your machine. Beware.

2 Responses to “Random Thoughts and Laundry Hints”

  1. Tanisha Christie Says:

    Kristin, I agree with you 100%. I read and write too and most of the time cleaning and doing the laundry do not always get to the top of my list of to-do things. However, whenever I feel mentally disorganized, emotionally challenged, and simply upset, doing the laundry is my priority. It is a good way of releasing all the energy and stress. You have a clearer mind, a peaceful home, and cleaner clothes in the end.

  2. girldetective Says:

    Alas, Tanisha, I’ve given in to the law of physics and momentum, and now I’ve started cleaning, I can’t stop, so precious little writing is getting done! I feel like the mouse in If you Give a Mouse a Cookie–one thing leads to another ad infinitum, so far.

    And the connections are so random. I’m roasting pumpkins because I had two left over from the fall. I pulled out a decorating book because taking down the filthy swags on my windows was a pain, and I don’t even like them and they’re not useful, so why put them back up? Wanted to use the stick vacuum, but had to clean filter, then spent a good ten minutes wondering why it wouldn’t go back on (I had it backwards). I cleared off buffet, but merely moved stuff to DR table, which now frightens me.

    How to stop the madness?